European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 22 a the stars and stripes saturday september 14, 1991 the rocketeer ii Pickens skills lift vols off by Mal Florence the los Angeles times there is another rocket launching under Way in College football Only this time its in the South not South Bend. Faghih f rocket Ismail of notre Dame the runner up for the Heisman trophy last year was arguably the most a exciting player in the country whether he was returning kicks catching passes or carrying the Ball. He has a counterpart at Tennessee. Carl Pickens excels As a wide receiver As Well As in returning kickoffs and punts and even was a two Way player in 1989 when he was used As a free safety. He made an auspicious season Dehut a week ago thursday night against Louisville. On Tennessee a first series he teamed with quarterback Andy Kelly on a 75-Yard touchdown pass play then later returned a punt 67 Yards for a touchdown. And he was Only filling in As a punt return specialist because Dale Carter who led the nation in that specially last season was suffering from leg cramps. Quot he san Ismail Type athlete a said David Gentry Pickens High school coach at Murphy . A you just have to play him All Over the Field and he wants the  Urcla will play Tennessee today at Knoxville tenn., and the Bruins will be looking warily at Pickens wherever he May be. A 6-foot-3, 200-Pound Junior Pickens is aware that he will most Likely attract double coverage As a receiver �?o1 saw some of that against Louisville last week Quot he said. Quot double coverage just gives someone else a Chance to get the Ball or the running game May pick  Pickens was the leading receiver in the Southeastern conference last year with 53 catches for 017 Yards and six touchdowns. He caught a school record 13 passes in a 34-20 loss to notre Dame. He also averaged 23.5 Yards on six Kickoff returns. As a Redshirt freshman in 1989, he returned a Kickoff 03 Yards for a touchdown against Louisiana stale. Quot Pickens is an exceptional athlete probably As Fine an All around athlete As in be Ever had the pleasure to coach Quot Tennessee coach Johnny majors said. A a he a versatile having played both ways for us. A now there a a heavy responsibility on him in the receiving corps to come through for us since four of our receivers were drafted by the it a one in the first round a Alvin Harper by the Dallas cowboys. A Carl has height very Good Speed and Good jumping ability. He can catch Low High inside outside and blocks very  anything else Well in High school he cleared 7 feet 1 Inch in the High jump averaged 25 Points a game in basketball and was the key player on two state 2-a championship football teams. A in football he had All the state records for All classes Quot said Gentry referring to Pickens 41 touchdown catches and 3,616 receiving Yards. With such credentials College recruiters descended on Murphy a Small City in the Eastern portion of North Carolina. Quot Penn state came Down Florida and Florida state were interested and Alabama recruited him heavily a Gentry said. A we just had to Cut a lot of schools  but Pickens chose Tennessee because Knoxville was close to Home less than 100 Miles. There was also another reason. A Tennessee has a reputation for very Good receivers and i wanted to Challenge myself to see if i could play Here a he said. Pickens does no to have Ismail s Speed but Gentry recalled that Pickens was once timed in just under 4.5 seconds at 40 Yards while running in High top basketball shoes. Pickens had a conflict with the Tennessee coaching staff in 1988. The volunteers lost their first six games and Pickens a freshman was urged to play rather than wait out the rest of the season. He declined. Quot i could t see my coming out making any difference in our record a a Pickens said. A there was a lot of pressure to make my decision  so he saved his eligibility and Tennis versatile Carl Pickens. Big plays either Way see won its last five games without him. Its doubtful though considering his considerable Talent that he will return to Tennessee for his senior season. Asked if plans to make himself available for the nil draft next Spring Pickens said he would make that decision at the end of the season. He said he would rather be a wide receiver in the nil but added Quot if a team needed me As a defensive Back i would have no problem with  in his five games at free safety in 1989, he distinguished himself with four interceptions and was named the defensive most valuable player in the Cotton bowl Whye Tennessee beat Arkansas 31-27. Pickens is not hopeful of winning the Heisman trophy this year because the award usually goes to a quarterback or running Back. However if there were an award for the country a most versatile player Pickens would be the leading candidate. Missile follows rocket s Trail by William Kates the associated press Syracuse . A Syracuse has a missile it believes can do As much damage As the rocket did at notre Dame. Quot the missile s launch has been successful Quot Syracuse wide receiver Qadry Ismail said in an uncharacteristic moment of swagger. Quot soon when they talk about me it will be about what Qadry a the missile Ismail has done today not Qadry the rocket s Little brother  its not that Ismail has a problem being identified with his More successful older brother Raghib Quot rocket Quot Ismail Heisman t Rophy runner up at notre Dame and now with the Canadian football league s Toronto argonauts. Quot in a proud to say he a my brother Quot the younger Ismail a Junior said. Quot he and 1 Are great  its just that Ismail Wanis to be known for his own Success a and wants to redeem himself from a frustrating confusing Sophomore season. A Syracuse is known for its great receivers like Rob Moore of the new York Jet Tommy Kane Seattle sea Hawks and Rob Carpenter new England patriots Quot Ismail said. A i want to be one of those Premier elite receivers a Ismail already has left his Mark on Syracuse football and track. He is on course to becoming the schools All time leading kick returner. He stands second with 1,457 Yards. He also is the big East conference 55-meter indoor hurdles Champion and an All America hurdler with school records in the 55-meter and 110-meter events. He won a starting Job last season but injured a hand in a preseason scrimmage. He started anyway then dropped several passes in Syracuse a 1990 opener against Southern California before coaches realized his hand was broken. Suddenly Ismail s ability to catch the Ball was suspect. Then As the season wore on his Confidence collapsed. Now both hand and mind Are healed. Quot catching the Ball has never been a weakness a Ismail said. A i played receiver in High school and never had any problems. But my ability to catch was Pul in doubt. Any time a coach doubts you it affects  Ismail lost his Job to Shelby Hill an other receiver with Strong athletic Bloo lines his father is former nil Star  Hill. Ismail did no to have one reception i 1990. A it was a setback a Ismail said. A never think of my cell As failing. I try t look for positives. It made me hungry t perform better and cast away All doubts. Ismail worked hard during the offset son on his pass catching techniques. H credits new receivers coach Dennis Golt Man with helping restore his Confidence. Quot he just needed More Confidence i himself a Goldman said. A we worke hard on concentration. I believed h could catch the Ball. Soon he was belie ing it  Ismail made his first collegiate cat last saturday against Vanderbilt for 1 Yards on a crucial third and six play t sustain a drive. And he showed How dangerous h could be in the third Quarter when h bolted 31 Yards for a touchdown on a a it verse. A Qadry is very focused Quot coach Pat Pasqualoni said. Quot he is very Well Awai that he has to catch the Ball that if h catches the Ball Good things can  Streak to end by Rick Warner a football writer the big ten has big problems against notre Dame. Notre Dame has won 14 straight Over big ten teams including last week s 49-27 Victory Over Indiana. The seventh ranked Irish will try to extend the Streak today when they meet no. 3 Michigan in Ann Arbor. After four consecutive season opening losses to Notie Dame the wolverines finally got off to a Good Start this year with a 35-13 win Over Boston College. But Michigan trailed at halftime and failed to put by away until the fourth Quarter. Notre Dames offence rolled against Indiana but the defense leaked giving up 418 Yards. Quot we re probably not As Good on offence As we appeared. And i think we re better on defense than we showed in some situations Quot coach Lou Holtz said. The game will be the first on the new grass Field at Michigan stadium where artificial turf was used from 1969-90. The last time Michigan played on grass at Home Ron Johnson rushed for 347 Yards in a 34-9 rout of Wisconsin in 1968. It wont be that easy saturday. But the favored wolverines will win. Michigan 34-28. In other games Western Michigan no line at no. 1 Florida St. A the seminoles play the real Michigan in two weeks. Florida St. 45-10. No. 5 Penn St minus 6v2 at Southern Cal a the Villany Lions have won first two games by combined score of 11522. Penn St. 27-10. No. 16 Alabama plus 7 at no. 6 Florida a the tide is 6-0 in Gainesville. Florida 38-28. North Texas no line at no. 9 Oklahoma a sooner Roll Over division Laa foe. Oklahoma 45-14. No. 21 Urcla plus 7 at no. Ii Tennessee a Bruins have scored in record 228 consecutive games. Tennessee 28-24. No. 23 Baylor plus 8 at no. 12 Colorado a Darius Hagan is now a triple threat. Baylor 20-17. Colorado St. Plus 23 at no. 13 Nebraska a Cor huskers have won 12 straight Over wac opponents. Nebraska 44-21. No. 14 Iowa minus 14 at Iowa St. A Hawk eyes have beaten cyclones eight straight times Iowa 38-17. Mississippi plus 12 at no. 15 Auburn a tigers have won eight in a Row Over rebels. Auburn 24-17. No. 17 Georgia tech minus 1514 at Boston College a yellow jackets rebound trom opening loss to Penn state. Georgia tech 38-24. Central Michigan no line at no. 18 Michigan St. A spartans win intrastate Battle. Michigan St. 34-17. Louisville plus 17 at no. 19 Ohio St. A Butler by noise rushed for 189 Yards in first Start. Ohio St. 28-14. Leu plus 12 at no. 20 Texas a amp my . Slocum is 1-1 is. Leu. Texas a amp a 27-24. No. 22 Syracuse minus 5l/i at Maryland a terms Are Back. Maryland 27-24. Temple plus 17vi at no. 24 Pittsburgh a Temple makes big East debut. Pittsburgh 35-17. Tulane plus 14 at no. 25 Mississippi St. A bulldogs coming off upset of Texas. Mississippi St. 24-7. Last week a 13-3 straight 6-7 spread. Season a 18-4 straight 9-8 spread